A new approach to peptide synthesis is sought through the development of a coordinated set of new protective groups, new amide forming reagents, and reagents for affinity chromatography. The major objectives turn on the development of "safety catch" carboxyl activating functionalities which serve as C-terminal protective groups yet can be converted in high yield when needed into selective and clean acylating species and on the further development of amide forming reagents which, together with the "safety Catch" feature, permit intramolecular amide forming reaction and which leave a solubilizing protective group attached to the peptide backbone. Our long range objective includes testing our developing methodology through the synthesis of medicinally important peptide molecules. A short term immediate interest is the synthesis of octapeptide hormone analogs needed for collaborative testing.